First welder / Millermatic® 252

[conway]

cool thanks for the advice... thats the way i look at whats the point in buying a MM140 and then 2 years down the road when its way undersized then i will end up buying the 252 anyways so why not just save up and buy one machine. but i was just concerned that maybe you coudnt turn down the 252 enough to weld thin things like sheet metal.

Sundown do you have a link to the gun your talking about, im still learning so i dont completly understand you, i thought you only used spoolguns for aluminum

thanks

[welder_guy]

I would reccomend the millermatic passport plus. it is a realy versitial mechine. it has a internal shielding gas bottle, wich is really good for for taking it to a jobsite and other places where you cant lug around a large cyclender. is also has mvp plugs, wich allows you to connect it to 120 and 230. its ment to be portable it weighs only 50 lbs, that and the mvp plugs along with the internal shielding gas bottle makes it a super portable machine. it will also weld aluminum with the addition of a spoolmate 100 gun. but one of the disadvnatges is that is welds a little less thicker than the millermatic 252 but it costs less. it is a great machine and it would be perfect for what you need to do and more!

http://www.millerwelds.com/products/...passport_plus/

[tacmig]

We were one of the first shops to latch on to the new 252 when they came out and we have put about 60 rolls of wire through it completely trouble free. Some body has posted info about the passport that can weld just as good. I guess at the same voltage it can, but the passport can't hold a candle to the 252's power and over all specs. Cost more but also does more!

TacMig

[Danny]

If machine usage is in a shop/garage enviroment, and the budget can afford it, out of what has been discussed, the 252 would be a very good choice. The 252 offers you substantually more power and duty cycle then the Passport.

I haven 't ran a 252, but I use to own a 251 and it performed quite well with an .023 solid wire and C-25 on 22 ga sheet metal.

If the sticker price of the 252 is a little to steep, the 212 would most definitely not be considered a compromise. The 212 offers plenty of top end power and duty cycle for anything you should need to weld on a Jeep. Once again though, I haven't ran a MM 212, but I do own a MM 210 and it performs very well with an .023 solid wire on 22 ga.

If I was going to purchase a lighter duty 180+ amp unit for home use, I would save myself $600+ and go with either a HH 187 or HH 210, over a Passport. The $600+ saved, could be used to purchase quite a few clamps. Plus, both Hobart units are real nice performers. They're most definitely very good thin ga sheet metal units.

[SundownIII]

Conway,

Anyone who thinks the Passport Plus will weld thicker material than the MM252 just hasn't used a MM252/MM251. That was just an absurd statement from someone "not in the know".

The 30A Spoolgun I mentioned in the previous post is made by Miller. You can check their "Products" section or pick up a Miller catalog to get a full description. The 30A signifies that the gun has a 30' lead and is air cooled. There is also a 15A spoolgun, which is the same gun with a 15' lead. The most significant difference in the 30A/MM252 combo, is that the wire feed speed can be adjusted directly from the gun rather than having to go to the main welder. The amp rating is also significantly higher (200A) than the 3035 (150A @ 60% DC).

While the spoolgun is mainly used for aluminum (reduces feed problems), it can also be used for solid or fluxcore wire. The extra reach (30' vs 15') can sometimes be a big advantage. (Think welding in the bed of a dumptruck or on the deck of a boat)

Hope this helps.

[conway]

thank you everyone for all of your advice..... i guess i just have to set down and really think of all the benefits of the three MM212, MM252, and the Passport Plus